Shattered Glass
by Storywhisper
Summary: Alice never expected to find herself dragged into Underland by a Cheshire cat and a White Rabbit. She also didn't expect to find herself thrust into the middle of an endless war between The Red Queen and the White Queen.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Been a while since I posted a story over here, hasn't it... -cricket chirps- Okay, so I'm more active over on tumblr, but decided to post this over here as well. **

**The idea behind this story is a mixture of the original Alice in Wonderland books, The Time Burton Movie, and the Disneyland show (Mad T Party). **

**With that being said... ONWARD WITH THE INSANITY. **

Shattered Glass

-  
Chapter One,  
_Don't go chasing Rabbits.  
-_

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting beside her sister next to the stream, and of having nothing to do. She stared down into the slow moving water, watching a few tiny fish dodge by on their way to heaven knew where. A small sigh left her lips as she drew her knee up to her chest and wrapped her arm around it.

"Alice, are you paying the slightest bit of attention to your lesson, or have you got your head up on some cloud again?" Lottie demanded, reaching out to pinch the teenager on the arm.

Alice jerked herself out of her sister's reach, glowering. "I am listening!" she snapped back. "Jesus Christ, woman…" she shook her head in disgust. "If you want me to pay attention to your boring history lesson, than perhaps you ought to try making it interesting. I can only take so many monotone speeches before my brain falls asleep and wanders off!"

"Your head would wander off your shoulder if I didn't tell you to mind it well," Lottie sighed, rubbing at her eyes. "Fine, if you can't focus your brain outside, we'll just go back inside. Come along… is that Dinah?"

Alice let out a cry of protest as she saw the little orange kitten sprinting away into the woods. "Dinah, no! Bad cat, you don't chase rabbits!" she was on her feet, tearing after the blur a second later. She heard Lottie crying out after her, but her voice was lost on the wind.

Alice ducked and dodged through the thick overgrowth, some of the limbs of the bushes sliced into the palms of her hands as she made her way after the feline. How had Dinah even gotten out? If she'd stopped to think it over, it might have made Alice hesitate. Dinah was a young kitten; she was nowhere near as quick as the cat disappearing into the bushes, hot on the tail of a white rabbit.

Nevertheless, Alice was not thinking, and when she pushed through the thickest of the brush and found herself standing in a large open clearing, she froze. She was not alone in the clearing. A young man stood there, brushing dirt off his pants. He turned towards her, smiling faintly. He was dressed nicely, in black dress slacks, knee high black leather boots, a red long sleeved dress shirt, and a bright golden vest.

"Hello, dear _Alice._"

The way he said her name made Alice tremble. She stood a step backwards, only to find a hand pressed against her shoulders. She screamed and shot forward, turning hurriedly to see who was behind her.

The man had dark hair, with bright blue tips. His eyes (they had to be contacts, eyes that color didn't exist!) were a neon blue color, and slit… like a cats… He was not dressed nicely. His pants were some sort of dark leather, but had obviously been patched together more than a few times. His boots were scuffed, and held together with heavy twine where the laces had broken away. His shirt was short sleeved, and hung loose on his body.

Alice continued to back away from him. "Look, I don't know what's going on here but…" she trailed off when the other man stepped forward, brushing his hands through his hair. Only then did Alice realize that, hanging on either side of his head… were two long, pale white… rabbit ears.

The man gave a small shrug of his shoulders as his ears stood up properly. "Probably best you don't know what's going on." He remarked. "You'd think yourself quite mad if you understood the half of it." He smiled faintly at Alice's wide-eyed expression. "Hush, little girl… you'll understand soon. Hell, you seem tough, you might even make it out alive in the end." He reached into his pocket.

Alice tried to step away from him, but found a pair of hands on her shoulders; holding her firmly in place. "Let go of me!" she screamed, kicking backwards like her dad had taught her. The man grunted but held firm.

The other man moved forward, holding out a small, bright green crystal ball. It gleamed beautifully in the afternoon sunlight, tin particles of dust drifting lazily inside of it. He held it at eye level with her, smiling still. "Go to sleep, Alice… when you wake up… the real fun begins."

"This is treason to the crown, you'll get all of us killed!" Tarrant glanced sideways at the young girl, sighing softly before reaching down to ruffle her snowy white hair. "Mallymkun, you're over-reacting." He quipped. "We'll only get killed if we get caught!" he winked playfully, smoothing his hands down the front of his shirt. It was a rich plumb colored dress shirt, and looked very nice with the black dress slacks, black boots, and black velvet top hat. A pair of wireframe glasses perched on the very end of his nose, he pushed them up with a sigh.

Mally's shoulders sagged with defeat. "Damn you tell hell, Tarrant!" she snapped, stomping her boot firmly on the ground. "If I die, I can promise you my replacement will have a sour spot in their heart, and will hopefully destroy every single one of your precious hats!" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from him. Her boots made a clipping noise as she walked beside him, the heels giving her a bit of extra height where genetics had failed her.

Had she known about today's plans, Mally might have chosen to dress differently, as it was, she had worn her normal boots, a pair of black cream colored leggings, and a simple white tunic, with a double crossed belt around her waist. Her hair was short, the white tuffs standing on end, but it had begun to grow out once more.

Tarrant frowned and reached up, touching the brim of his hat. "Mally, you wound me." He said, poking his bottom lip out.

It had the desired effect. Mally's lips twitched ever so slightly. "Well, just promise me this isn't going to end the way our last trip into the palace gardens ended." She said as she moved to walk beside him, elbowing him gently in the ribs.

"Mally, I'm a bit lost… how did our last trip go?" Tarrant teased.

Mally tucked her hands behind her back, giggling quietly. "It ended with you having a broken nose, which by the way healed crooked, and my having to ask Absolem to heal up some rose wounds from where the Queen called the vines to her aid." She sighed and held her arm out, pulling up the jacket sleeve. The scars stood out on the pale skin.

Tarrant absentmindedly reached out and slid the pad of his thumb across the one nearest her wrist. "That one almost took your life from you, my daring little mouse." He murmured. "I promise we won't be bleeding our lives away today. We're actually here to spy on the keepers."

"K-Keepers?" Mally came to a sudden halt in the alley between buildings. The stench of sun-baked garbage and pastries assaulted her for a few seconds. "Okay, you need to clear this up right now, before we go even a single step further. The Keepers are neutral, Tarrant… why would we need to spy on them at all?"

"Simple, they're performing the Alice ceremony today. Five young women, thrown into a pit with a dangerous Underland creature, the one that comes out alive is the new Alice." Tarrant smiled. "If none come out alive, obviously they all failed and the Queen will demand the ritual be done again on the next full moon."

"So, if I understand you… we're going to spy on them so that on the off chance they do find the Alice… we're going to… what, steal her or something?"

"That, my dear mouse, is exactly what I plan to do if one of those ladies survives."

Mally stared at him, mouth opening and closing a few times. "You've gone mad." She blurted out. "You've finally done it… you've gone completely 'round the bend."

Tarrant turned around and tapped his finger against her nose, bending down to kiss it gently. "The best sort of people to be around, my dear mouse… are the mad ones." Standing up straight again, he flashed a quick smile and turned away. "Come on." He said quietly.

Mally drew in a shaky breath and followed after him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two,  
_Knaves and Knives._

_—_

Thackery tugged at the collar of the heavy leather coat, sighing loudly. It was summer in Underland, and the Capital was sweltering under the sun's unrelenting gaze. The fact that he was still forced to wear the all leather uniform was ridiculous. Couldn't very well guard the palace if he was passed out on the ground from heat stroke. Thackery tugged the collar again.

"Will you quit it," Bill snapped, turning to stare at him. "I know you're a rabbit, but do you have to be so twitchy? I mean… gods…"

"I am not a rabbit!" Thackery snapped, as he pointed at his teal colored ears. "These are not rabbit ears. These are hare ears."

"Those are deformed furry things that are stuck to the top of your head." Bill responded airily. "If you were a proper rabbit, they'd stand up." He cocked his head to the side.

Thackery's ears twitched, drawing back in hurt. He turned away, refusing to look at the lizard.

The silence lasted all of two seconds. With a small sigh, Bill reached out and poked his arm. "Oi, Bunny, I'm sorry!" he said at last. "I forget how… sensitive you can be about those ears."

"I know I'm a reject, Bill. I don't need reminding of it from my best friend." Thackery said quietly.

"There ain't nothing wrong with you, Thack." Bill soothed. Leaving his spot and approaching the hare. "You're exactly the way you were meant to be. I mean, if you were a real reject, why would you be the March Hare, eh? Riddle me that!" His smile brightened, obviously proud of himself.

Thackery's lips twitched. The smile died quickly when he saw who was approaching. "Back to your post, now!" he ordered.

Bill scrambled back into his position, standing straight and stiff.

The woman was tall, and strangely lovely. A veil hung over her face, hiding it from view. She moved slowly, the edge of her gown making a strange sound as it brushed over the cobblestones. The sound of her heeled boots clicking made Thackery's pulse jump into his throat. He waited until she was in front of them before he bowed low at the waist.

She stopped in front of him. He watched her dress sway as she turned to face him. His whole body shook as she continued to stare at him. He didn't dare straighten up or raise his eyes. Heaven knew she didn't need an excuse to behead him… he was a Role Holder, that was reason enough.

Fingertips brushed the edge of his ear. Thackery froze completely, eyes going wide.

"So soft," Her voice was amused. "It's too bad that you are defective, dear March Hare… You would be lovely with proper ears… I don't like that one."

Thackery heard Bill make a pained noise in his throat. He didn't move, didn't look.

"Come along, Knave, we're late for the ceremony. It will be interesting to see if my sister has found the new Alice…. March hare… clean this… waste up."

"As my Queen wishes."

"I love it when a man knows his place." She chuckled. "Knave, now."

A pair of leather boots, splattered with blood, came into Thackery's line of sight. A hand grabbed a fist full of his hair and yanked his head back. The Knave wore a silver mask that covered his entire face, only his pitch black eyes were visible. He stared at Thackery for a long moment.

"Remember this, little bunny." He whispered, voice muffled, "You are piece in a greater game. You can choose the colors you wear… you better damn well be on the right side when the new Alice is found. If we ever meet on the field of battle… I will relish your suffering."

Thackery whimpered softly.

"Knave!"

He released Thackery, stepping back a few paces. "Mind your head, bunny…" he snorted.

Thackery stayed very still as the duo vanished down the path; a gust of wind suddenly blew through the garden. Thackery's hand shot up to cover his mouth and nose as he turned his head. The mixture of roses and blood was sickening.

Bill lay on the ground, still. His head had rolled away from the rest of him. Thackery stared at it for a long moment before he took a step forward, kneeling down. "You didn't deserve this…" he whispered.

"No one deserves this!" A voice snapped from above him.

Thackery tipped his head back, staring at the young woman perched on the branch of the tree. A long tail dangled down from the branch, twitching back and forth like a cats, the white tuff looking impossibly soft. He stared at her a long moment. "A mouse… in a tree…" one dark eyebrow rose, "now I know I've gone mad."

"Not mad," a second voice said from the nearby bush. "Just a little insane."

Thackery continued to shake his head in silent amazement as the man stepped forward and cupped his face between his hands, forcing their eyes to lock. The hare's breath whooshed out of him as things began to click over inside his head and stood up. "Mad Hatter." He blurted out.

"That would me," The Hatter stepped back and gave him a sweeping bow. "Tarrant Hightopp."

"Thackery Earwicket," Thackery acknowledged, bowing in return. "March Hare."

"Mallymkun, no last name." The girl in the tree said as she jumped down. "Dormouse, not tree-mouse."

"You were in a tree." Thackery returned. "You're a Tree-Mouse. Go stand by a door and sleep and you'll be a dormouse." He smirked, raising his eyebrow as her eyes narrowed.

"Careful, she's small but she's got a nasty bite when she's pissed off." Tarrant advised.

Thackery snorted. "Noted. Watch out for the little girl."

"I'm a young woman, not a child, and you'll do well to treat me as such… bunny."

"Hare."

"Bunny."

"…I'm not arguing this with a mouse." Thackery glanced back at Tarrant. "What are you doing here?" He wondered. "I mean… I've never seen you before today, you've never been a guard…" he trailed off. "Oh."

"Rebel." Tarrant nodded and shrugged at the same time. "Care to jump ships?"

"…You…what…" Thackery reached up and covered his face. "Oh fuck me…"

Tarrant laughed. "Maybe after a couple drinks, Marchy." He smiled. "So, what do you say? You want a get out of prison free card? I can't promise it'll be all smooth sailing… the Queen isn't exactly fond of us. She actually wants us dead."

"Nothing new there," Thackery tucked his fingers into the loops of his belt. "The only reason she keeps any role holder alive as a guard is so she doesn't have to deal with finding our replacement after we die." His gaze drifted towards Bill. "Her Knave isn't so careful."

"The Lizard?" Tarrant questioned, toeing at the body on the ground.

Thackery winced. "Bill." He corrected sharply, "and he was one of my only friends in this place… piss poor friend… but he didn't deserve to die like this."

"He'll be reborn," Mally said carelessly. "Role holders, even lesser ones like him, just get reset and reborn. New package for the same old bullshit."

"So you wouldn't mind if I just stabbed you through the chest?" Thackery snapped.

Mally glowered.

"Thought so,"

Tarrant stepped between them, placing his hands gently on Thackery's shoulders, squeezing lightly. "We're jaded, Thackery." He whispered kindly. "We've seen it happen so many times, my new friend. I've watched them come and go, old friends changing into someone else… please don't think us cruel for not morning a stranger we know will be reborn."

Thackery held very still, blinking rapidly. "You make me feel… strange." He blurted out.

Tarrant chuckled softly and leaned forward a bit more, their noses touching. "Do I?"

"Tarrant…" Mally reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose. "He's the Mad Hatter, he's the leader of our side of the board. Everyone and their mother are attracted to his sorry ass."

Thackery drew back, cheeks flushed. "Right…" clearing his throat, he glanced around. "I guess if we're going… let's go."

Tarrant's gaze drifted towards Bill's body for a second. He tipped his hat and drew a cross over his heart before turning away. He took Thackery's hand in his own and began to lead the hare through the bushes, towards an open gate. "We're actually not leaving just yet." He said over his shoulder.

"What are we doing?" Thackery wondered.

"We're looking for an Alice."


End file.
